Automatic self-closing funnel



C. H. GROVE.

AUTOMATi C SELF CLOSING FUNNEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1919 Pateanted June 15, 192 0.

eo/ e Grove.

ing funnels.

TE S ATES PATEN-v o rice.

GE QB GE Gnovn: or I HARRISBURG; PENNSYLVANIA:-

H eii roivuirio sntr onosnve FUNNEILQ willenable others skilled in theart'to which it appertains to make'anduse'the same. I

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inautomatic self-clos- The primary'object of the inventionisto provide afunnel witha 'valvejwhich will automaticallyclose to shut oil?" theliquid passing through the funnel when' the liquid in the'containerwhich is 'beingfilled has reached a predeterminedheight, therebypreventing 'sa1d container frombec'omlng filled 'too full and spillingsome of the liquid.

" improve upon devicesiof this natureby the provision of ail-extremely smple, strong,

, rangeinentfof.parts as will bei'hereinafter "fullydescribedaudclaimed.. Y

Another object of the invention is to pros vide a funnel with capacitygraduations so that the liquid may be measuredafterit' has beenpouredintothefunnel. A further object of the inventioniis. t

durable and 'inen pensive construction, which will be GlllClG-lll) andreliable 1n operation,

I an'd'well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed. p p vlViththese andbt-her objects in view,the

invention consists or certainnovel features of construction, and thecombination and ar- In the accompanying drawings forming part of theappllcation and in which simllar reference characters designate likeparts throughout the several views 2- Figure 1 1s a vert calS8Ct1OI1ELl" V16W througha funnel constructed in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a similar viewtaken substantially' on the plane indicated theline 22 of Fig. 1; and, I

Figs. 8 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken on the planesindicated by the lines 8-3 and t-l of Fig. 1.

The improved funnel consists of an inverted cone-shaped body 1 havingits upper edge flared over or headed to reinforce it, and being providedwith a tubuappii atibnfiiea my 214, 1919:: Seria1 No. 31O,'560."

narrowv straps 5..

' spe e e L'etter's en- Patented Jurie=15f1920l lar threaded portion2'atits lower end. Threaded to'the portion 2 is a spout consisting of anupper section '3 and'a lower sec: tion 41, said sections'beiug tubularin shape, being spaced ashort distance apart, and being connectedby twoor more comparatively I The upper end of the lower section 45is providedwith a 'cone-' shaped wall having a centrally disposed opening 7 thereinfor a purpose to be hereinafterdescribed. ,The upper'section 3 hasdisposed therein a screen 8 which acts as a strainer when liquid ispassing through the funnel. j

Extending transversely across the body'l at the lower end thereof isapartition 9, the latter being soldered orotherwise secured tothewallsof the body and being provided with apertures 10 whioh'are preferablythree in number arranged in alinement with one another. Extendingtransversely'across the body 1 at the upper end thereof and secured 13.Carried by the housing 13 and extending transversely ofthe body- 1 isalplate 15. This plate 15 is disposed'a short distance above thepartition 9 and is providedfwith openings .16 arranged directly abovethe other two openings 10 of the plate 9.

F ulcrumed between its ends intheupper portion of the housing "13 is alever 17, one

arm or end of which is connected by a rod 18 to a valve 19. This valve19 isinthe form of a plate which fits tightly against the partition 9over'the two'end holes 10. This plate is provided witha central opening20 to provide for the reception of the cylindrical portion 14 of thehousing 13. Extending upwardly from the valve plate 19 and projectingthrough the apertures 16 in the plate 15 are stems 21 which serve toguide the valve plate. The other end or arm of the lever 17 is connectedto a rod 22 which extends through the bottom of the body 1 and entirelythrough both sections of the spout, said rod, extending through theaperture 7 aforementioned whereby it is guided. The lower end-of the tothe wall of the same by screws or rivets rod 22 is threaded to provideadjustable mounting for a float 23 which it carries. The float isdisposed in the lower section 4; of the spout and has a verticalmovement in the same.

The bar 12 is provided with an opening 24, and through this openingprojects a handle 25 carried by the lever 17. By means of this handle 25the lever may be rocked from one position to another to close or openthe valve 19. On one side of the housing 13 isdisposed a series ofgraduations 26. By these graduations 26 the amount of liquid disposed inthe funnel may be determined;

The parts are normally in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings,the weight of the float 23 overbalancing the weight of the valve 19 soas to hold the latter in opened position. lVhen the funnel is being usedand liquid is being pouredinto the same the valve 19 will remain in itsuppermost position to allow the liquid to pass through the openings 10in the plate 9 and into the upper section 3 of the spout. lVhen theliquid in the receptacle which is being filled rises into engagementwith the float 23, the latter will consequently rise and through themedium of the rod 22 will rock the lever 17 so as to close the valve 19and out off the flow of the liquid. Hence the receptacle will not befilled above a predetermined height. In view of the fact that the float23 is adjustable upon the rod 22 the automatic closing of the valve maybe regulated so that the receptacle may be filled to different heights.

If it is desired to measure a quantity of liquid before allowing thesame to pass through the funnel, it is only necessary to engage theoperating handle25 and shift the lever 1'? so as to close the valve 19.The

quantity of liquid poured into the body of transversely across said bodyat the lower end thereof and being provided with a valve seat, a barextending transversely across said body at the upper end thereof, ahousing supported within said body upon said partition and said bar, avalve disposed upon "said seat, a float disposed in said spout, a

lever fulcrumed within said housing, and rods connecting said float andsaid valve with said lever whereby said valve is closed when said floatis occupying its uppermost position.

2. A funnel comprising a body and a spout, said body having a valve seattherein, a housing supported in said body and havingan opening in theupper side thereof, a valve disposed upon said seat, a float disposed insaid spout, a lever fulcrumed intermediate of its ends within saidhousing, rods connecting the opposite ends of said lever with said valveand said float respectively to close said valve when said float is inits uppermost position, and a handle formed integrally with said leverand projecting laterally from the intermediate portion thereof throughthe opening in said housing, whereby said valve may be manuallyoperated.

3. A funnel comprising an inverted coneshaped body, a spout carried atthe lower end of said body, a partition supported within said body andextending transversely across the lower end thereof, said partitionbeing providedrwith a pairof openings therein disposed on opposite sidesof the center portion thereof, a housing supported within said body, aplate supported by said housing and spaced a slight distance above saidpartition, said plate having apertures therein alined with the openingsof said partition, a valve plate disposed beneath said plate and movabletoward and away fromsaid partition and positioned so as to close theopenings therein, guide pins projecting upwardly from said valve plateand extending through the apertures in the first mentioned plate, afloat movably mounted in said spout, a lever fulcrumed in said housing,and rods connecting said float and said valve plate with said leverwhereby said valve is closed when said float is occupying its uppermostposition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE H. GROVE. Vitnesses S. A. RAMsAY, M. E. GLovER.

